Pride And Gratitude

Let's start with some deep breaths,

Starting where your breath is,

And then with each breath drawing air in deeper and exhaling more slowly.

Take a few moments to get quiet and more still,

Slowing down.

Heavy body,

Light spirit.

Think about something you are working on,

Have worked on,

Or something you endure,

Have endured,

Something you give and do,

Gave and did.

Draw to mind an image or sensation,

Maybe a word to summarize the experience.

Breathe into it with all of its challenge,

And feel good at what you have accomplished,

Done,

Engaged in.

We might call that feeling pride.

Experience pride in hard work while engaged.

Let it be absorbed into yourself.

Be thankful for your own efforts,

What you do in many ways control.

Settling in,

Take a look at something external that has come to you.

Something sweet or kind,

Special or precious,

A one-time event or a series of experiences.

Something that made you smile.

When you think of this kindness that the world visited upon you,

You might feel gratitude.

Bring it in.

Let it bloom,

Blossom,

And become brighter within you.

Things we control,

Things we can't control,

We can feel pride and gratitude separately and simultaneously.

Let yourself feel both now,

During this meditation,

And thereafter.

Taking it all in.